Tattoos and piercings?

Okay
This is Quyen blogging tonight
I wanted to bring up something that has been bothering me for a very long time..

Tattoos and piercings(hence the title)

I have 4 facial piercings, my ears are stretched to an inch, ive got my second holes pierced and depending on how i feel they are either stretched or a normal 18 gauge, and tattoos on my wrists.
This may not seem like a thing to the people in the Mod Blog community, but it sure does seem like a lot for normal everyday folks.
I knew that having all of these piercings and tattoos would draw negative attention to me, and i knew all of that when i first started stretching my ears A LONG LONG AGO.
But i never knew that it would bother me so much now.
NO, i do NOT REGRET any of it because its a part of me, and its who i am
But it does get pretty old when you are rejected from jobs, people, your own race, and your own family. It sucks, because people don't understand why i have them
I have these piercings and tattoos because i feel like they have made me more confident.
They make me feel more comfortable with who i am.
They help me express myself more.
My personality is crazy, hyper, over the top, loud, and just plain ole' Quyen. That's just who i am
And i think that my piercings and tattoos reiterate that.

I had an interview at Starbucks today...
I took my smiley ring out, kept my septum tucked in, wore retainers in my nostril, and wore a bracelet on both arms to cover up my tattoo.
One of the first things that was asked was, "Do you have any tattoos?". I said yes i do. I raised both of my wrists up to her and showed her. They were covered up so she wasn't able to see them. But it was the fact that i had them, And during the interview she pointed out my nostril piercings and how if i got the job that i would have to wear retainers..
I WAS wearing retainers. A clear one with a dome and a dental acrylic skin toned one.
She also pointed out my ears and said i had to do something with it, I assured her that if i got the job then i would purchase skin toned plugs that were solid And she kinda just blew it off.

I felt like she was treating me in a different manner than she was before she noticed all of my piercings and tattoos And it really bugged me. Yeah i should be used to being judged by my piercings and tattoos, but its difficult sometimes. Ive been turned down by MANY food service jobs in the past( and everybody knows i REALLY REALLY REALLY want to become a chef)
And its not just food service jobs, its alot of other different types of jobs.

DO MY PIERCINGS AND TATTOOS HINDER ME FROM DOING WHAT IM SUPPOSE TO DO!?!

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
Not at all
So why not?
Why not hire me?
Oh because people are to darn tootin' closed minded about things.
Its 2008 people, get your heads out of your asses.
Tattoos and piercings do NOT make you some sort of mutant or some whack job
It doesnt do anything but express who you are.
My body is a canvas.
So im going to do whatever i want to it
And if people arent respecting me for that
Than forget it
I dont hate on people just because they dress a certain way, talk a certain way, do certain things.
I DONT
I dont because that would just make me a fool


The only job that is okay with my piercings and tattoos is Hot Topic
DUH! It's Hot Topic, of course they would accept that. I love that job. Ive been there for over 2 years
And i wont dare leave it for another because i LOVE the people i work with
I love what i do, I love the environment, and I just love it there!!


But the thing about working there is that there are still people that come in and judge you
Just because you work there
And there are some people that are just plain curious and want to know why i did that to myself or yadda yadda yadda
And then there are some people who are straight up rude to me
Who talk to me in a very condescending way and pretty much flat out tell me im wrong because i have a few holes in my face and some ink on my skin
WHY?!
I dont sit there and talk down to them for what they do
So why do they think that they can do that to me?
I just dont understand people

What happened to
To each his own?
Or dont judge a book by its cover?

I have my body mods
and you have your lavish lifestyle or whatever
It doesnt mean that you can put me down
Okay
So you dont accept it
But you could keep it to yourself instead of putting me down for it

Thats why i love being a part of bmezine.com
Its just a community of people who have the same interests in common and are able to discuss it
No dissing people
No hating
None of that nonsense.

I just wish that people would accept others for who they really are

I may look like a blah blah blah with my piercings and tattoos
But do you really know who i am or how i act just because of them?
I have a calm side, a soft one, a caring side, all of that ooey gooey stuff
But people dont know about it because they cant see past my looks
They cant see past the holes in my face

They automatically think
SCUM! when they see me
But im not
and i would love to prove it to everybody that judges me that im not
But im not given that chance because they wont give me the time or respect

So just think people
Do you really think that tattoos and piercings make others any different from you?
No
It just shows that those people are just allowing themselves to be expressed in a different way and that they are okay with it

So after today
I will not let another person or employer put me down for who i am or how i look
Because its just not worth it anymore
Im not going to try and convince people that tattoos and piercings are okay
Because a lot of people will never get it

So
I want to know what you guys think about tattoos and piercings


Oh yeah
And read this article about tattoos and piercings that i found on modblog news
http://news.bmezine.com/2008/09/12/employers-should-probably-start-making-peace-with-tattoos/
Kinda sucks that 85% of us cant get a decent job because of that...

Oh yeah
This entry is just scrambled and probably worded all weird because when i speak on an issue that i truly am passionate about
It just comes out in a jumble
And it never comes out right
Its just a big ole mess in my head

-Quyen GG Chapstick


*Update

"GIGI makes a really great point here, I went back and forth a billion times trying to find the right placement for my first tattoo.
So many Questions I had to think about, most revolving around what people will think of me.
Will my tattoo look white trash on my wedding day, will my future profession allow any of my tattoos to be shown.. When I'm 80 will i still love it?
All outside opinions aside I'm really happy about my tattoo!! I don't feel like I regret it at all. Though Gigi's are more visible it's still a decision you have to just make for yourself. We all modify ourselves in one way or another and some modifications are more accepting in society then others but I believe that it's a personal acceptance that's really the topical lining in this endless argument.
Gigi, do you REALLY accept yourself?
Those that matter won't mind and those that mind won't matter. "
-Lola S